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Posts for: April, 2017

Dental implants are considered the best tooth replacement option available. An implant replaces the root of a tooth and allows for the replacement of the crown via attachments or abutments. They not only look like a real tooth, they function like one too.

Implants, though, for some are a significant investment and may be well beyond a person's financial means if they've experienced a sudden tooth loss. For that reason, many opt for a less expensive tooth replacement option like a removable partial denture.

Later when they can afford it, a person might consider an implant. But this could pose a complication. When a tooth is missing for some time, the underlying bone doesn't rejuvenate normally because it no longer receives stimulation from the tooth. Over time, the amount of bone may diminish. Restorations like dentures can't stop this bone loss and actually aggravates it.

For proper positioning, an implant requires a certain amount of bone volume. So, it's quite possible when the time comes to replace the old restoration with an implant that there may not be enough bone available.

We may be able to overcome this bone loss with bone grafting and regeneration. A specialist such as a periodontist or oral surgeon accesses the area surgically and inserts bone graft material, usually processed material that's completely safe. Properly placed, the bone graft serves as a scaffold that, along with growth stimulators, encourages bone cells to grow.

When the bone grafting has healed enough, we're then able to place the implant. Once imbedded in the bone, one of the implant's unique qualities comes into play. The imbedded post is made of the metal titanium, which is not only bio-compatible with body tissues, it also has an affinity with bone. Bone cells will easily grow and adhere to the implant surface. This further boosts bone growth in the area and strengthens the implant's hold.

These extra procedures to build back lost bone do add to the cost and time for installing an implant. But if you're ready for a more permanent restoration for a missing tooth — not to mention better bone health — the extra time and money will be well worth it.

For major-league slugger Giancarlo Stanton, 2014 was a record-breaking year. After the baseball season ended, he signed a 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins — the biggest deal in sports history. But earlier that same year, Stanton suffered one of the worst accidents in baseball: He was hit in the face by an 88-mph fastball, sustaining multiple fractures, lacerations, and extensive dental damage.

After the accident, Stanton didn’t play for the remainder of the season. But now he’s back in Spring Training… and he’s got a not-so-secret weapon to help protect him against another injury: A custom-made face guard designed to absorb impacts and keep him from suffering further trauma.

As sports fans, we’re glad that Stanton was able to overcome his injury and get back in the game. As dentists, we’d like to remind you that you don’t have to be a major-league player to feel the harmful effects of a sports injury — and you don’t have to look far to find a way to protect yourself. In fact, you can get a custom-made mouthguard right here at the dental office.

Mouthguards have a long tradition in sports like football, boxing, and hockey. But did you know that far more Americans are injured every year playing “non-collision” sports like basketball, baseball — and even bicycling? And it doesn’t take a major-league fastball to cause a dental injury: The highest incidence of sports-related dental injuries occurs in 15-to-18-year-old males. In fact, about one-third of all dental injuries among children stem from various types of sports activities. These injuries may result in countless hours being lost from school and work, and cost significant sums for treatment and restoration.

Mouthguards have a proven track record in reducing dental and facial injuries: They are capable of absorbing the energy of a blow to the mouth, and dissipating it in a way that prevents damage to facial structures and teeth. But not all mouthguards are created equal: Custom-fabricated mouthguards, which are produced from an exact model of your mouth made right here in the dental office, offer by far the best protection. They fit better and safeguard the teeth more fully than any off-the-shelf or “boil-and-bite” type can. Plus, they’re more comfortable to wear. And let’s face it: No mouth guard can protect your teeth if you don’t wear it.

What’s more, some recent studies indicate that custom-made mouthguards may offer significant protection against concussion. An increasing awareness of the dangers that concussion may pose to athletes is one more reason why we recommend custom-made mouthguards to active people and their families.

To get his face guard, Giancarlo Stanton reportedly went to a specialist sporting-goods manufacturer in Illinois, and paid around $1,000. But you can get a custom-made mouthguard for yourself or your loved ones right at our office for a fraction of that price. And the peace of mind it can give you is… priceless.